How to thrive in the power élite—while declaring it your enemy.  Illustration by Javier Jaén; Source photographs from Getty Among football fans, there is a debate so persistent that it’s become the stuff of parody. Is So-and-So quarterback, universally acknowledged as very good, gifted enough to be considered élite? Although the precise definition of the word may be elusive, everyone seems to agree that it is meant to be positive. In most political circles, on the other hand, the word “élite” is more akin to a slur. “Critiques of the élite now emanate from so many angles that it’s difficult to know who remains to be critiqued,” Evan Osnos writes, in a probing essay from this week’s issue. Osnos examines the long history of the term, and the ways in which powerful people on the American right and left now use it against their ideological enemies, all while seeking to downplay their own exceptional power and influence. But, before you can sort out the contradictions, there may be a more pressing matter. As Osnos writes, “Amid the competing accusations, you may find yourself quietly wondering: Am I in the ruling class?” Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today » | 
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